Eaves trough devices



Feb. 26, 1963 J. u VOLSI EAVES TROUGH DEVICES Filed April 13. 1959 JOSEPH LIVOLSI I INVENTOR.

BLAIR SPENCER BUCKLES ATTORNEYS.

3,079,060 EAVES TROUGH DEVHIES Joseph Li Volsi, 65 Parker Ave., Glenbrook, Conn. Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 805,843 2 Claims. ((31. 21 477) This invention relates to eaves troughs incorporating leaf collecting devices, and particularly to improved eaves trough constructions incorporating an arch member positioned in the water-conveying sluiceway.

Eaves troughs or rain gutters, installed along the low edges of sloping roofs, frequently become clogged with leaves, paper scraps and the like, carried to the roof by the wind and washed therefrom into the gutter. Such debris fills and clogs the troughs, causing water to overflow, and likewise plugs downspouts, producing malfunctions of the eaves trough system.

Many devices have been suggested in the past to overcome this problem, such as perforated cover plates, screens and woven lattice-work structures, designed to collect leaves and debris before they are carried into the gutters of the eaves trough system. Leaves often become caught and embedded in the perforations and openings of such structures, however, and very often they are completely clogged by leaves, which remain water soaked in a sodden mass which must periodically be removed by hand in order to restore the eaves trough system to proper operating condition.

Accordingly it isa principal object of the present invention to provide an eaves trough structure which is not subject to clogging by leaves and debris.

Another object of the invention is to provide an eaves trough structure of the above character capabe of diverting and collecting leaves and debris while still performing its desired water-carrying function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of the above character in which leaves and debris cannot become imbedded, and hence can dry and be blown away by the wind.

Another object of the invention is to provide eaves trough structures of the above character incorporating simple and economical leaf-collecting elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide leafcollecting elements of the above character which can be formed conveniently from flexible tubular material.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the several steps and the relation therebetween exemplified in the method hereinafter disclosed, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, of an eaves trough incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURES 2, 3, 4, and 5 are side views of various forms of leaf-collecting elements employed in the construction of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view of a flattened flexible tube, showing one step in the preferred process for making the preferred leaf-collecting elements of the invention, and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional end view of the assembled eaves trough structure shown in FIGURE 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

3,079,0d0 Patented, Feb. 26, 1953 A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the perspective view of FIGURE 1, including an eaves trough 10 joined to the lower edge 16 of a sloping roof 18. Positioned longitudinally in sluiceway 22 of trough 1i) is a leaf-collecting element generally indicated at 24, which preferably takes the form of a substantially semicylindrical member having a generally arch-shaped crosssection.

The lower supporting edges 26 of element 24 are serrated to form alternating recesses and projections; the projections serving to support element 24 spanning sluiceway 22, and the recesses forming drain passages for water draining from. roof 13 over element 24 into sluiceway 22. The serrated edges may take various forms, as shown in FIGURES 2 through 5, and if they are wavy edges, such as the substantially sinusoidal edge 26 of FIGURE 2, or sawtoofh edges, such as edge 26a of FIG- URE 3, two elements 24 can be cut from opposite halves of a flattened flexible tube 32, as shown in FIGURE 6 and more fully described hereinafter.

Leaf-collecting elements 24 can be fabricated in any convenient lengths, such as four-foot lengths or eight-foot lengths, and when installed they are preferably positioned end-to-end in abutting relationship, spanning the sluiceway and all downspout openings, over the entire length of the rain gutter.

The disadvantages inherent in the perforated and screen structures of the prior art are substantially avoided by the present invention, for there are no perforaions or interstices in which leaves can become caught and embedded. In general, leaves collecting in the eaves troughs of the present invention overlie element 24, many of them spanning the open space between element 24 and the adjacent wall 14 of the gutter, such as leaf 25 shown in FIGURES 1 and 6. Water draining from roof 18 passes between such leaves down the sides of element 24, through the drain passages formed by recess 28, and into the unimpeded sluiceway 22.

When the weather clears, such leaves dry rapidly, since they are not packed together in a sodden mass in the bed of the gutter, and they are not embedded in perforations or interstices of any kind. The dried leaves are easily blown away by the wind, and the eaves troughs of the present invention are therefore substantially self-cleaning,

' requiring a minimum of care and upkeep. Any leaves which may work-downward between element 24 and the adjacent wall of thegutter will be supported edgewise by these elements, and will likewise dry and be blown away.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 1 and7, one preferred form of the invention will be seen to include eaves trough 10 having a bed 12, a rear wall 14 secured to lower edge 16 of the sloping roof 18, and a front wall 20. Bed 12 and walls 14 and 20 form a water channel or sluiceway 22, from which downspouts (not shown) conduct water to suitable drains, dry wells, and the like.

Leaf collecting element 24 has a substantially semitubular shape and an arch shaped cross-section, and is positioned longitudinally in eaves trough 10 with its downwardly projecting edges 26 positioned along bed 12 near walls 14 and 20, so that member 24 effectively spans sluiceway 22 throughout the length of caves trough 10.

Lower edges 26 of member 24 are serrated, as shown in FIGURE 2, with recesses 28 alternating with projections 30. Recessed portions 28 form drain passages through which water passes from above leaf collecting element 24 into sluiceway 22, as described above.

Serrated edges 26 may have a wavy, substantially sinusoidal shape, as shown in FIGURE 2, or a sawtooth shape, as shown in FIGURE 3. Alternatively, edges 26 may have openings or notches of any desired shape cut therein, such as notches 28b or 28c, shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. In each case, the recessed portions (28, 28a,

3 2812 or 280) provide drain passages, while the projections (30, 30a, 30b or 300) support element 24 (or 24a, 24b or 24c) spanning sluiceway 22 in the manner indicated in FIGURES .1 and 7.

It has been found that the desired operative cooperation between eaves trough element and leaf-collecting member 24 is best obtained if element 24 is formed substantially in the shape of one-half of a circular cylinder having an outside diameter of approximately three inches, approximating the inner width of conventional gutter troughs. Flexible plastic material such as polyethylene tubing has been found to be a convenient material from which to fabricate leaf-collecting elements 24, lending itself to the preferred method of manufacture now to be described.

As shown in FIGURE 6, a length of'fiexible tubing 32 is preferably flattened to bring diametrically opposed portions 34 and 36 of its walls into close proximity. Wall portions 34 and 36 are then cut, preferably simultaneously, along a central longitudinal line 38 down the entire length of tubing 32. It will be seen that the cuts 38 form projecting edges 26 for two substantially semi-cylindrical elements 24, and if these edges 26 are wavy or sawtooth in shape, as shown in FIGURES 2 or 3, the elements 24 can thus be fabricated in a single cutting operation, with no waste of material. Tubing having a wall thickness of about and an external diameter of about three inches has been found suitable for use in this process, producing leaf-collecting elements 24 of the desired shape and rigidity.

The cuts 38 may be made by any convenient means,

using roller dies, stamping dies, or a moving saw blade alternately displaced from side to side as cuts 38 progress down tubing 32. It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an eaves trough leaf collecting element affording longcontinued efiicient operation without interference or obstruction by leaves, paper or foreign objects collecting therein. Gutters including the leaf-collecting elements of the present invention are substantially self-clearing, as described above, and will function properly for long periods, of time without inspection or cleaning. While the invention, has been described 7 with reference to eaves troughs it will be seen that it also lends itself well to highway gutters or sluiceways of all kinds.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, amongthose made apparent from the preceding description, are efiiciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in the article set forth without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. An eaves trough assembly to prevent matting or clogging and to promote removal of leaves, debris and the like by the wind comprising, in combination, an eaves trough gutter including a bottom and adjacent wall portions forming a sluiceway, and an elongated semicylindrical member convexly positioned in said sluiceway and dimensioned to form an arch-like cover spanning said sluiceway. said member being imperforate over the entire area thereof away from its edges and having its supporting edges resting on the eaves trough bottom, said supporting edges incorporating water passageways to permit continued drainage of water into said sluiceway from outside said semi-cylindrical member, whereby leaves, debris and the like will be supported primarily by the upper wall portions of said gutter and the unperforated body portion of said semi-cylindrical member to facilitate drying and removal of said leaves, debris and the like, by wind passing thereover.

2. An eaves trough assembly to prevent matting or clogging and to promote removal of leaves, debris and the like by the wind, comprising, in combination, an eaves trough gutter including a bottom and adjacent wall portions forming a sluiceway, an unperforated elongated thin-walled semi-cylindrical member dimensioned to form an arch-like cover spanning said sluiceway at the bottom of said gutter and convexly positioned therein with the unperforated body portion of said semi-cylindrical member projecting upwardly through a substantial portion of the depth of the gutter, said member having supporting edges resting on the eaves trough bottom, said supporting edges being serrated to permit drainage of water under said semi-cylindrical member into said sluiceway, whereby leaves, debris and the like will be supported primarily by the upper wall portions of said gutter and the unperforated body portion of said semi-cylindrical member to facilitate drying and removal of said leaves, debris and the like, by wind passing thereover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 316,578 Shumann Apr. 28, 1885 1,526,821 Andrews Feb. 17, 1925 2,218,276 Woodin Oct. 15, 1940 2,454,194 Maynard Nov. 16, 1948 2,533,402 Schmitz Dec. 12, 1950 2,645,816 Trussell July 21, 1953 2,875,712 Blau Mar. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,865 Great Britain 1874 3,945 Great Britain Feb. 17, 1904 23,080 Great Britain 1892 911,070 Germany 1954 

2. AN EAVES TROUGH ASSEMBLY TO PREVENT MATTING OR CLOGGING AND TO PROMOTE REMOVAL OF LEAVES, DEBRIS AND THE LIKE BY THE WIND, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN EAVES TROUGH GUTTER INCLUDING A BOTTOM AND ADJACENT WALL PORTIONS FORMING A SLUICEWAY, AN UNPERFORATED ELONGATED THIN-WALLED SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBER DIMENSIONED TO FORM AN ARCH-LIKE COVER SPANNING SAID SLUICEWAY AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID GUTTER AND CONVEXLY POSITIONED THEREIN WITH THE UNPERFORATED BODY PORTION OF SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBER PROJECTING UPWARDLY THROUGH A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE DEPTH OF THE GUTTER, SAID MEMBER HAVING SUPPORTING EDGES RESTING ON THE EAVES TROUGH BOTTOM, SAID SUPPORTING EDGES BEING SERRATED TO PERMIT DRAINAGE OF WATER UNDER SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBER INTO SAID SLUICEWAY, WHEREBY LEAVES, DEBRIS AND THE LIKE WILL BE SUPPORTED PRIMARILY BY THE UPPER WALL PORTIONS OF SAID GUTTER AND THE UNPERFORATED BODY PORTION OF SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBER TO FACILITATE DRYING AND REMOVAL OF SAID LEAVES, DEBRIS AND THE LIKE, BY WIND PASSING THEREOVER. 